Cycle airplane



Jan. 20, 1931. J. FRANZ ,52

CYCLE AIRPLANE Fi led May 10, 1929 'QZZugw/FA.

Patented Jan. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES JOI-IANN FRANZ, OF BUDWEIS, GZECHOSLOVAKIA CYCLE AIRPLANE Application filed May 10, 1929, Serial No.

The present invention relates to a cycle airplane and refers particularly to the connection of a propeller and of lifting and steering planes to the motor cycle. According to the invention this is done hingedly securing the lifting planes to a central piece connected to the motor cycle, so that the vehicle may be used on the street as an ordinary motor vehicle as well as in the air as a flying machine.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing where Fig. 1 shows a side elevation,

Fig. 2 a partial front elevation,

Fig. 3 the power transmission from the motor,

Fig. 4 a plan on Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 the arrangement of the controls.

The central frame 1 is connected to the motor cycle through supporting struts 2, 3 and 4t and carries at its rear extension the elevator 5 and the rudder 6. A propeller 7 is mounted at the front.

The lifting planes 8 are rotatably mounted in transverse stays 9 by means of vertical spindles 10 and are each stifiened by spars 11 which run from the spindles 10 and are provided with intermediate struts 12. On the central frame 1 there is a rotatable disc 13 with a handle 14. Tension arms 15 are eccentrically and pivotally secured to the disc and are connected to lever arms 16 which are fixed to the spindles 10.

The transmission from the motor 17 to the propeller 7, is effected by the cord 18, between the pulley 19 on the motor and the pulley 20 (Fig. 3) which is attached to gearing on the strut 2. This gearing consists of a bevel wheel 21 connected to the pulley 20 and engaging with a bevel wheel 22 which in turn has a cord pulley 23. By means of a handle 2e (Fig. 4) the bevel wheel 22 may be thrown out of gear, so that the propeller may be put out of action when the machine is to be used as a street vehicle. A cord 25 runs from the pulley 23 over the pulley 26 secured to the propeller shaft. A sliding fork 27 is adjustably arranged so as to hold the propeller still, when the machine is on the street.

The elevator and the rudder are controlled 362,113, and in Germany Mar-ch 14, 1929.

by tension wires 28 and 29 which pass over pulleys 30 and 81 on the control spindles and run from a control head arranged for both control wires. This control head is arranged in front of the handle bar and consists of the bush 32 having at the bottom a drum 33 partly open at its periphery. A cord pulley is arranged inside this drum. The pulley passes through the top of the bush with a hollow shank 35 and at the end of the shank is a hand wheel 36, which slides on the edge of the bush. The hand wheel 36 is so arranged that a further control wheel 37 with a handle 38 may slip round on it. Passing downwards respectively so that both controls may be manipulated independently of each other.

All moving parts run in ball bearings.

What I claim is:

1. In a motorcycle-airplane the combination of a control head for the elevator and rudder control wires arranged in front of the handle bar, a mechanism for swinging the lifting planes about a vertical axis in and out so that the two lifting planes are one above the other and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine when in the non-working position, arranged above the front Wheel of the motorcycle, engaging and disengaging means for the propeller-drive, thus en abling the machine to be transformed from a street-vehicle into'a motorcycle-airplane and vice-versa.

2. In a motorcycle-airplane the combination of a control head for the elevator and rudder control-wires comprising a bush having a drum open at one side accommodating a cord pulley whose hollow shank passes through said bush, a control wheel arranged at the protruding end of said shank, a rotatable disc sliding upon said control wheel, a spindle running downwards from said disc and a cord pulley arranged at the end of said spindle, a mechanism for swinging the lifting planes about a vertical axis in and out, arranged above the front Wheel of the motorcycle, engaging and disengaging means for the propeller-drive, thus enabling the machine to be transformed from a street-vehicle into a motorcycle-airplane and vice-versa.

3. In a motorcycle-airplane the combina- 5 tion of a control head for the elevator and rudder control-wires comprising a bush having a drum open at one side accommodating a cord pulley whose hollow shank passes through said bush, a control wheel arranged 1 at the protruding end of said shank, a rotatable disc sliding upon said control wheel, a spindle running downwards from said disc and a cord pulley arranged at the end of said spindle, a mechanism for swinging the lifting planes about a vertical axis in and out,

arranged above the front wheel of the motorcycle consisting of a hand-driven rotatable disc mounted on the central top-frame, from said disc tension arms eccentrically and pivotally secured to the same, are connected to lever arms of said vertical spindles of each of the two lifting planes, engaging and disengaging means for the propeller-drive, thus enabling the machine to be transformed from a street-vehicle into a motorcycle-airplane and vice-versa.

4;. In a motorcycle-airplane the combination of a control head for the elevator and rudder control-wires comprising a bush having a drum open at one side accommodating a cord pulley whose hollow shank passes through said bush, a control wheelarranged at the protruding end of said shank, a rotatable disc sliding upon said control wheel, a

spindle running downwards from said disc and a cord pulley arranged at the end of said spindle, a mechanism for swinging the lifting planes about a vertical axis in and out, arranged above the front wheel of the motorcycle, consisting of a hand-driven rotatable disc mounted on the central top-frame, from said disc tension arms eccentrically and pivotally secured to the same, are connected to lever arms of said vertical spindles of each of the two lifting planes, engaging and disengaging means for the propeller-drive comprising a gear box, one bevel wheel of which can be thrown out of mesh so that the propeller is put out of action and held in a fixed position by a sliding fork fixed on the front supporting strut, thus enabling the machine to be transformed from a street-vehicle into a motorcycle-airplane and vice-versa.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

J OHANN FRANZ. 

